A. System Requirements

ModuMath Help

Welcome

I. Installation

A. System Requirements

B. Network Installation

C. Uninstalling

D. Quick Start

E. Video on the Network

F. No-Timed-Tests

II. Overview

A. Records Management System

B. Student Menu

III. Administrative Tasks

A. Administrative Password

B. Registering Instructors

C. Changing Passwords

D. Deleting Instructors

E. Student Records

IV. Instructor's Tasks

A. Instructor Password

B. Creating Classes

C. Enrolling Students

D. Assigning Lessons

E. Deleting Students and Classes

F. Backing Up Records

G. Student Records

1. Class Roster

2. Class Summary

3. Student Performance Summary

4. Student Activities

5. Student Tests

V. Student Menu

A. Student Login

B. Studying Lessons

C. Taking Tests

D. Shortcut Keys

VI. FAQ

A. How often should I back up student records?

B. Can I change a student's assignment?

C. How secure are student records?

D. Can I store the video CD files on a single drive?

E. How do I report an error in a lesson or test?

F. Passwords, Lost or Forgotten

Lost Student passwords:

G. Can I revise a course?

H. Can I turn off timed questions in Basic Math tests?

VII. Troubleshooting

A. Contact Tech Support

B. RMS locks up, can't exit

C. Lesson shuts down

D. Video doesn't appear

E. Poor sound/video performance

F. Student Records unreadable

G. Error Messages

1. No disk in drive

2. Insert diskette

3. No lessons assigned

4. Menu.exe has generated errors

5. Video files not loaded

6. Authorware runtime error

Welcome

Welcome to the ModuMath Help. The topics listed at the left will help you install and use the ModuMath software.

If you think we’ve missed a topic, send an email to and let us know what additional help you’d like to see.

A print version (Microsoft Word document) of ModuMath Help can be downloaded from the ModuMath website:

I.Installation

This section describes Help for technical staff in charge of installing the software.

A.System Requirements

HARDWARE

The minimum hardware is a Pentium II 233 with 64 MB RAM (128 RAM is recommended). To view the multimedia lessons, student workstations require a CD-ROM drive (or DVD drive) and speakers.

OPERATING SYSTEM

This software is compatible with all 32-bit versions of Windows (starting with Windows 95). The software will also run on MacIntosh computers using Virtual PC.

DISPLAY SETTINGS

Set the Color Palette at High Color (16 bit) or better. Screen graphics will appear muddled if the display is set at 256 colors. Font settings should remain at the default: small fonts. Changing the font settings to large fonts may distort the text displayed in the software.

The screens in this software are designed for a desktop area of 640 × 480. If the desktop is larger, the borders of the Windows desktop will be visible behind the software. (See Creating Classes for information on covering the desktop borders on student workstations.)

FONTS

This program uses core fonts which are automatically installed with Windows: Arial, Arial Bold, Arial Bold Italics, and System.

VIDEO

Mpeg movies must open with Windows Media Player. This is the default file association for the .mpg file extension on Windows computers. Video files are external to the ModuMath software. By default, they are stored on a CD or DVD-ROM. You may also store the video files on a network. See the section on Video on the Network.

B.Network Installation

The ModuMath courseware ships with one installation CD-ROM and several video lesson CDs or DVDs. The lesson CDs and DVDs can be used directly in workstations, or you may place the video files on your network. See the section on Video on the Network.

Install ModuMath to a mapped drive that is accessible to client workstations. Ideally, the path to the mapped drive should not be lengthy. Paths with 50+ characters will run into systems limitations if a large number of students are enrolled.

If you have a previous version of ModuMath installed, you may install a newer version over it without losing instructor/student records.

PERMISSIONS

After the installation is complete, the following folder/file rights should be set:

ModuMath folder

instructors: full rights (Novell) or full control (Microsoft)

students: read and filescan (Novell) or read and execute (Microsoft)

Data subfolder (Note: Text files in the Data folder are encrypted for security.)

instructors: full rights (Novell) or full control (Microsoft)

students: grant all rights except deletion (Novell and Microsoft)

Unwise.exe

Remove all rights for instructors and students. This file will uninstall the software.

SHORTCUTS

For desktop shortcuts on client computers, instructors should have access to the admin.exe file (Records Management System); students should have a shortcut that points to menu.exe (Student Menu).

To test network permissions and installation, see the Quick Start Section. Contact Technical Support if you have additional questions about installation.

C.Uninstalling

You can uninstall ModuMath by using the Windows Control Panel or by running the unwise.exe file in the ModuMath folder. This will remove all of the ModuMath components except for the Data subfolder. This subfolder must be manually deleted. Once deleted, student records can not be retrieved.

If you have corrupt data that cannot be repaired, you should uninstall the software then manually delete all of the contents of the ModuMath folder.

D.Quick Start

After installing ModuMath, verify the correct network setup by creating one class and a trial student.

1. Open the admin.exe file. Use the password admin to enter the Records Management System (RMS) for the first time.
2. Establish your own administrative password. Be sure you do not lose or forget this password.
3. Register one instructor. Again, be sure you keep track of the password. Exit the Records Management System.
4. Open the admin.exe file (RMS) again, using the instructor password. Create one class, enroll one student and assign lessons.
5. Open the menu.exe file (Student Menu) and log in with the student ID. Take a test and exit.
6. Open the Records Management System, using the instructor password to view student records. If records of the student test you just took do not appear, double check your network permissions. When permissions are not set correctly, student records cannot be written to the system.

E.Video on the Network

You may transfer video files from the CD-ROMs or DVD-ROMs to a network (or workstation) hard drive for the convenience of faculty and students.

Hardware Recommendations

A 100 MB network is recommended, with Pentium II workstations having 128 MB RAM. Because of various network configuration issues, be sure to test the video performance after copying file from one lesson to a network drive. You may log in to menu.exe as guest. Select the lesson you copied to test video performance.

The video files for the Basic Math course use about 18 GB; Algebra files use about 12 GB.

Creating a Path for the Video Files

The ModuMath software searches for a specific folder on drives A through Z. Because of this, you can place the video files in any location that is mapped to a drive letter, as long as the rest of the path is identical to that of the CD-ROM. Do not, however, use a letter that is also found on workstations, such as A, C, D or E.

For the Algebra course, create a folder called mmalgvid at the root level of a lettered drive. Then copy the subfolder in mmalgvid on the CD-ROM to the root level of your lettered drive. Do not copy the algmovie folder. When you have copied all of the algxx folders, you will have 32 subfolders under mmalgvid – one for each lesson. The folder structure should look like:

For the Basic Math course, create a folder called mvid. Copy the subfolder in mvid on the CD-ROM to the root level of your lettered drive. Do not copy the movie folder. When you have copied all of the mmx-xx folders, you will have 51 subfolders under mvid – one for each lesson.

Be sure students have the appropriate network rights to view the folder(s) you created.

F.No-Timed-Tests

In the Basic Math course, five tests have timed questions. If you prefer to eliminate this feature for all students, you may do so.

A folder called notimer can be found in the Math subfolder of the ModuMath root folder. Copy the files in the notimer folder to the Math folder. You’ll be replacing files with the same name in the Math folder. Do not change the name of any file.

II.Overview

This sections provides an overview of the ModuMath software and its two key components: the Records Management System and the Student Menu.

A.Records Management System

The Records Management System (RMS) is the instructor tool for assigning lessons and tracking student progress. The flowchart below illustrates a simplified view of the software’s components. Note that there are two ways to log in to RMS: as an administrator and as an instructor. The primary task with administrative login is to create instructor names and passwords. Once that is done, instructors can use their passwords to perform a variety of tasks for classes and students.

B.Student Menu

The Student Menu (menu.exe) is the program used by learners to access lessons and tests. The Student Menu has an easy-to-use structure, which means students will spend less time familiarizing themselves with the software and more time learning.

III.Administrative Tasks

Administrative tasks include creating an administrative password, registering instructors and changing passwords. In order to accomplish any of these tasks, use the administrative password.

A.Administrative Password

When you log in to RMS the first time, use "admin" as the password. Then establish your own administrative password. Take care of this password: if you lose it or forget it, you will not be able to register new instructors nor delete old instructors.

If you forget your administrative password, contact Technical Support . The fix for this problem must be made by someone who has network permission to the ModuMath installation at your institution.

Your administrative password opens RMS to the Administrative Menu. This menu allows you to register instructors, delete instructor records, change passwords, view student records and create backup folders of records.

B.Registering Instructors

After logging in to RMS with your administrative password, you can begin to register instructors. Enter the first name, last name and a password for each instructor who will have access to RMS. Instructor passwords are not visible in any other part of RMS, so be sure to keep a secure record of instructor passwords.

If an instructor forgets his or her password, you can simply change the password. Try to use passwords that will be easy for instructors to remember. Birth dates, social security numbers and pet names are good cues for passwords.

C.Changing Passwords

It may be necessary to change passwords if there has been a security breach. For example, if a student discovers the administrative password or an instructor password, the student would have access to of all of the functions in RMS. Devastating results could follow. Student assignments could be changed, entire classes could be deleted, all of the records on the system could be wiped out.

Guard passwords closely. Change passwords if you suspect a security breach. Changing instructor or administrative passwords has no effect on student records.

D.Deleting Instructors

You can remove obsolete student records by deleting instructors. This action will remove all of an instructor’s classes and student records. Because this is a permanent deletion, you’ll be asked to confirm your decision to delete. Instructors can also delete their own classes via the Main Menu.

Deleting unused records will optimize the performance of RMS. Depending on your particular system configuration, RMS may respond slowly when hundreds of students are enrolled.

E.Student Records

The Administrative password allows you to view the records of any student in any class. (Instructors can only view the records of students in their own classes.)

The records for the Class Roster are sorted by instructor name and class name. The other records are sorted alphabetically by last name.

Administrators have access to a System Summary feature, which allows you to compile records of all instructors students into a spreadsheet file. Once in a spreadsheet, you can sort and manipulate the data or import it into a database.

For more information on specific records, see the section on Student Records.

IV.Instructor's Tasks

Use your instructor password to access the Main Menu of RMS. On the Main Menu, Organize Classes will take you to the Class Menu; View Student Records will open the Records Menu.

These three menus allow you to :

back up records

create classes

enroll students

assign lessons

delete students and classes

view and print student records

A.Instructor Password

The instructor password is assigned when the administrative login staff registers instructors on the system. If you have lost or forgotten your instructor password, contact the person who can use the ModuMath administrative login to change your password.

B.Creating Classes

If you have more than one course on your system, you’ll be asked to select a course before creating a class. For systems with just one course, RMS automatically selects that course.

Class Properties

Class properties and their defaults include:

Class Property / Default Value
class name / Blank
passing score / 90%
student records / same location as ModuMath installation
hide desktop / No

You may change the default properties for classes. After saving the class, however, you will not be able to change its properties.

Passing Score

The default passing score is set at 90%, but you may change it by typing in any value from 1 to 100. The passing score determines the test grade needed to advance to the next assigned lesson. For example, if the passing score is 90 and a student gets an 85 on Test 2, the student will not be able to proceed to Lesson 3 -- until he achieves a test score of 90 or better on Test 2. The passing score sets this limitation on all students who are assigned lessons by the instructor or by the Assessment Test. Students who are allowed to select their own lessons may study lessons and take tests in any order. However, only Guest students may retake a test that has been passed. See Assigning Lessons for more information on assignment methods.

Customize: Records on Diskette

By default, student records are stored in the same location as the ModuMath software. In the vast majority of cases, this is the best option for dealing with student records.

Storing records on diskette is designed for situations in which it isn’t possible or desirable to store records on a hard drive. For example, diskette storage can be used if a school provides laptop computers to students who live in remote locations. Diskette storage is also a good idea if computers are not networked, or if students cannot be given permission to write data to a network.

If you choose this option, you will need to install the ModuMath software on more than one hardware system. Students should log in to a different computer than the one the instructor used to register them and create their assignment diskettes.

As an instructor, you’ll need a diskette for each student. Each time you enroll and assign lessons to a student, you’ll be asked to insert a diskette. To upload student records back into RMS, you’ll have to collect the diskettes from your students.

Students whose records are stored this way will need their diskettes each time they log in to the Student Menu. A lost or damaged diskette means the loss of an entire student record. While students have physical access to their records on the diskette, it is nearly impossible for a student to change a grade or alter an assignment. The text files that store the records are encrypted. If a files is altered outside of the ModuMath software, decryption will result in nonsensical text. One other point about records storage on diskette: students who are enrolled in more than one course must have a separate diskette for each course.

Customize: Hide the Desktop

The option to hide the desktop applies to workstations that have a Windows desktop area greater than 640 × 480. If you choose to hide the desktop, a black border will appear around the student menu, lessons and tests. Students will only have access to the Windows Start menu by pressing the Windows key. The desktop returns to its normal view as soon as the student quits the program. If you decide not to hide the Windows Desktop, students who have displays set at greater than 640 × 480 will see any other applications that may be running behind the ModuMath Student Menu.

This option should not be used with Windows 2003 Server/Windows XP operating systems.

C.Enrolling Students

Enrolling students is a straightforward process. Enter a first name, last name and ID. RMS will not allow you to enter an ID that has already been assigned to another student. Also, keep in mind that students use the ID to log in to the Student Menu program; choose an ID that students will remember. Social security numbers and school-assigned student ID numbers are usually memorized. If a student forgets his or her ID, you’ll find it listed in the Class Roster.